Ship of Fools

Dvir Cohen-Kedar / Zvi Tolkovsky

12.10.2017 - 10.11.2017

Ship of Fools

In his book Madness and Civilization Michel Foucault illustrates how in the 15th century the so-called ‘ship of fools' – were ships on which the mad were extradited, thus the sane dwellers of the city were saved from the unsettling presence of the insane. In fact, not only the mentally ill were exiled from the city, but anyone who was considered Other.

Dvir Cohen-Kedar exhibits oil paintings on canvas, oil paintings on paper, and monotype prints.
With saturated colors and a popish appearance, his oil paintings seem as scenes from a children's film with an apocalyptic scenario. Alongside these, Cohen-Kedar exhibits monotypes - one-time prints - that give a gloomy psychological atmosphere.

Zvi Tolkovsky exhibits mixed media paintings on hand-made paper.
His works are full of historical-political images combined with images from popular cartoons. With grotesque and humorous characteristics, his artworks display violent situations as childish scribbles.

The encounter in the gallery space between Cohen-Kedar and Tolkovsky creates a colorful and rich exhibition that contains dark contents and a macabre atmosphere. The exhibition is guided by the idea that people behave like a herd that is captivated by beliefs that shape identity and give a sense of belonging. The fools are, in fact, the drunken masses, lacking of critical thought, obediently serving the sovereign, as loyal soldiers, taxpayers and as consumers of goods. As a mirror to the individual within a proud and righteous society, a world rich in paradoxes, institutional violence, and an existential fear of the future, are obtained from the works.